An epithermal neutron beam from the MURR and from an accelerator source compared to the beam at the BMRR
An ideal neutron beam for BNCT is a beam of epithermal neutrons, forward directed, and free of gamma rays and thermal and fast neutrons. Three neutron beams were evaluated, and compared: (1) the operating Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (BMRR) epithermal beam, (2) the designed Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) epithermal beam, and (3) the accelerator-based epithermal neutron beam designed by Wu. These neutron beams were compared with respect to the neutron spectra, neutron and gamma fluxes and doses, and beam directionality. The epithermal neutron beams were inter-compared for different beam parameters in air at the irradiation point. The BMRR beam has the highest neutron plus gamma doses per epithermal neutron among these neutron beams but is satisfactory for patient trials by BNCT at the present time. The RBE dose delivered to the normal brain reaches the tolerance dose limit before the skin RBE dose reaches its limit, so the skin dose can be controlled under the limit. Generally speaking, a treatment can be completed in 54 minutes using the BMRR beam for irradiation at a full-power operation of the reactor. The MURR beam has better beam parameters, including lower neutron and gamma doses per epithermal neutron, higher in intensity, and also directed. The irradiation time could be 5 minutes to complete a treatment. The accelerator-based neutron beam which has shown promising beam parameters similar to the BMRR beam could be a choice in hospitals. However, a complete system at the required power has not yet been demonstrated.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 6825606
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-48190; CONF-9209280-6; ON: DE93005583
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Neutron capture therapy for cancer, Columbus, OH (United States), 13-17 Sep 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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